The "Dirty Dancing" star has shot into the front-runner status even before the first tango beat is played by the in-house band.

When cast photos were released late last week, the main image most media organizations focused on was Grey and her new partner Derek Hough busting out the dancing tights again to begin rehearsals. With Hough, she just happens to have one of the best, judge-pleasing instructors you can get in the draw.

Grey gives the who certified movie nostalgia in the form of a shockingly well-preserved movie star. And because "Dirty Dancing" was a dance movie after all, she can actually hit the reality show dance floor without looking desperate -- something that not all movie actors would be able to get away with.

You could just hear the excitement when her name was announced in front of the live studio audience -- there was gasps of joy and applause that surpassed any of the other names mentioned.

She's all anyone wants to know about right now and that's a huge advantage. To win "Dancing" you have to own an audience who will work the phone on your behalf. Grey has that in spades with the devoted followers of one of the most beloved films of all time.

And you know she has to be able to move just by the famous dance sequences from the classic movie. And Grey has never looked better, which is amazing considering the star has passed 50. She'll own the super-market tabloid fodder as they dissect how she looks so great, how she's dancing for her recently deceased co-star Patrick Swayze and so on.

Grey shouldn't start clearing room for her Mirror Ball Trophy. But she's got a nice boost heading out of the gates and that means a lot.

Published at 7:40 AM CDT on Sep 8, 2010 | Updated at 1:41 PM CDT on May 30, 2012